I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8614 

To authorize the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 

to carry out a study to examine the potential relationship between increased health risks and living in proximity to sites that have been 

or are being mined for surface coal deposits, and the potential human 

health effects of surface coal mining operations in Central Appalachia, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 4, 2024 

Mr. MCGARVEY (for himself and Mr. GRIJALVA) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To authorize the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to carry out a study to examine the 

potential relationship between increased health risks and 

living in proximity to sites that have been or are being 

mined for surface coal deposits, and the potential human 

health effects of surface coal mining operations in Central Appalachia, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. STUDY ON POTENTIAL RELATIONSHIP BE2 TWEEN INCREASED HEALTH RISKS AND LIV3 ING IN PROXIMITY TO COAL MINES. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Deputy Director of the Office 

5 of Surface Mining Reclamation Enforcement of the De6 partment of the Interior shall enter into an agreement 

7 with the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and 

8 Medicine to carry out, in accordance with subsection (c), 

9 a study to examine the potential relationship between in10 creased health risks and living in proximity to sites that 

11 have been or are being mined for surface coal deposits, 

12 and the potential human health effects of surface coal 

13 mining operations in Central Appalachia, including the ef14 fects of unreclaimed, idle, and abandoned coal mines. 

15 (b) ELEMENTS.—The study under subsection (a) 

16 shall include the following: 

17 (1) An identification and description of the 

18 main types of coal deposits in Central Appalachia 

19 that are extracted using surface mining techniques, 

20 including geologic and geochemical characteristics, 

21 mining and reclamation operations, and waste man22 agement approaches. 

23 (2) A summary of Federal and State regulatory 

24 frameworks for surface coal mining operations, in25 cluding coal preparation plants and the associated 


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1 coarse coal refuse facilities and slurry impound2 ments. 

3 (3) A discussion of relevant scientific research 

4 on the potential human health effects related to sur5 face coal mining operations, including the following: 

6 (A) An identification of effects from sur7 face coal mining operations on air, surface 

8 water, groundwater, and drinking water quality 

9 that could potentially lead to human health con10 cerns. 

11 (B) An evaluation of the potential for 

12 short-term and long-term human health effects, 

13 including consideration of potential exposure 

14 pathways and relevant environmental contami15 nants, noise and vibrations from operations, 

16 and other stressors and quality of life concerns. 

17 (C) An assessment of the scientific and 

18 methodologic quality, rigor, and sufficiency of 

19 such scientific research. 

20 (4) An identification of baseline data and ap21 proaches necessary to monitor environmental and 

22 human health indicators that may be affected by 

23 surface coal mining operations. 

24 (5) An identification of gaps in research and 

25 needs for additional research that may assist in the 


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1 development of new approaches to safeguard the 

2 health of residents living near surface coal mining 

3 operations. 

4 (6) Recommendations for— 

5 (A) additional research needed to under6 stand the impact of surface coal mine oper7 ations on human health; and 

8 (B) development of new approaches to 

9 safeguard the health of residents living near 

10 surface coal mining operations. 

11 (7) An identification of the effects of 

12 unreclaimed, idle, and abandoned coal mines. 

13 (8) Recommendations to remedy any negative 

14 health effects found from the study. 

15 (c) COMMITTEE.—The National Academies of 

16 Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine shall establish a com17 mittee to carry out the study under subsection (a). Mem18 bers of such committee shall have relevant expertise from 

19 academia, State government agencies, industry, and non20 governmental organizations, and shall have individual ex21 pertise in technical areas such as mining engineering (in22 cluding coal mining operations), exposure science, moni23 toring and control of environmental and human exposure 

24 to products from surface coal mine operations, epidemi25 ology, public health, environmental medicine, statistics, 


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1 regulatory decision making for surface mining, and control 

2 and reclamation operations. 

3 (d) INPUT.—In carrying out the study under sub4 section (a), the National Academies of Sciences, Engineer5 ing, and Medicine shall solicit input from impacted mem6 bers of the general public. 

7 (e) REPORT.—Not later than 24 months after the 

8 date of enactment of this Act, the National Academies of 

9 Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine shall issue a report 

10 containing the findings of the study under subsection (a), 

11 including any recommendations on remediations of poten12 tial human health effects of surface coal mining operations 

13 in Central Appalachia, including the effects of 

14 unreclaimed, idle, and abandoned coal mines. 

Æ 


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